Shortly after our meeting, Mike provided literature and noted community support for t KAMO and was very passionate about starting up a chapter here in the Coulee Region. I said “the world needs another non profit group like I need a stick in the eye” so instead of re-inventing the wheel, I decided to join forces with Mike and get KAMO off the ground.  We had a general public meeting and met with the founder of KAMO and formed our chapter.

Now one year later, with the good graces of the community we are pleased to announce a very successful year:

Dear KAMO Parent

Coulee KAMO’s 2012 goal was to get the KAMO name out there. We went well beyond that, spending over 1,000 hours outdoors with kids as well. This is all because some mentors in the area have a passion for both working with kids and the outdoors AND several parents put their trust in KAMO mentors.

In 2012 KAMOKIDS went:

• Fishing on Lake Onalaska
• photography shoots at the bass tournament and at the La Farge hunt (one kamo kid took third place in a photo contest for her picture)
• On outings with DNR staff on the river
• Pheasant hunting on a game farm near Taylor
• To the spring fishing outing at the Genoa Fish Hatchery
• Duck hunting locally
• On several hikes – Hixon Forest, Goose Island, Eco Park Trails, MVC blufflands
• Canoeing on the Black River
• On a camping/ deer hunting trip on Tunnelville Cliffs near La Farge. One kid shot a buck.
• On a river clean up outing near Onalaska all done from the shoreline
• Trapshooting at Gunslick
• On a deer hunting trip near Poynette – one girl shot her first deer.
• On a Geo-caching outing near Holmen
• On a number of one on one outings not mentioned above

what we have planned for 2013:

• The upcoming 4H archery program running from January-March. There is still some room in this program if you know of anyone.
• The Genoa Fish Hatchery has their kids ice fishing outing tentatively set for January 26^th – this is geared for younger children.
• KAMO will have its own all ages ice fishing event on Lake Onalaska probably on February 3^rd.
• several more 1:1 and group community outings as they become available

KAMO can use: More mentors. Donated items to use for a raffle – preferably things of interest to the general public.

What makes our chapter so unique is the blend of special needs kids/ families with typical kids and families and how well everyone gets along. It truly shows how the outdoors brings everyone together.

note: KAMO is a youth mentoring program located throughout Wisconsin. They have five chapters located in Baraboo, La Crosse, New Lisbon, Florence, and Ladysmith. To learn more about KAMO, visit their website

Coulee Region KAMO

I am one to give credit where credit is due; but I am also one that when served crow,will ask for ketsup and salt.

A couple years ago, I met the guys from the Fish-a-way fishing rod company, a company that makes custom ice fishing rods, at the St. Paul Ice Fishing Show. They were showcasing the Cobra Ice Fishing Rod, their mainstay product.

At first glance, I didn’t like the rod so I walked away, not really thinking too much of the rod. It just didn’t appeal to me.

I saw them again at the Wisconsin Ice Fishing Show last month, and had a good chance to talk to them before the show opened. It turns out the Cobra Ice Fishing Rod is made in the United States by two retired military veterans. Seeing that I was planning on doing an article on tip-downs, catered to their request for an interview.

I will admit the more I talked to the Fish-a-Way guys, the more impressed with the Cobra I became. The rod has a wide base, and a interchangeable rod system- that’s it.  The unit hits all my requirements: Portability, affordability, simplicity, and accessibility.  I bought two rods from their booth at show special and took them home.

When I got the Cobra Rod on the ice, I was thoroughly satisfied with it’s performance.  My son has an adaptive disorder, so getting  him to hold fishing poles that he can either jig with, or reel with is huge issue. He quickly picked up the rod and found comfort in using it. The wide base allowed him to set the pole down clumsily while still landing face up; where the curved handle allowed him to hold the rod anywhere he felt comfortable.

Most importantly, the wide base acts as a safeguard from falling down the hole and into Davey Jone’s Locker; should a big fish attempt to drag the pole into the water, or if my son was to drop the pole into the hole, the wide base will prevent it from going in. (up to an 8 inch hole).

I also used the Cobra Rod myself a couple times, and noted how easy the Cobra Rod was to use with gloves/ mittens on. The wide base and curved handle allowed me to grab the rod far away from the reel, and allow me to reel in the fish without my clothing getting in the way.

I would highly recommend the Cobra Rod for anyone that fishes in any situation. To learn more about the Cobra Rod ice fishing system, visit their website.

Imagine being stuck in freezing water. No one can hear you, no one can see you. Yet life is going on around you; people are driving, talking, walking, and even laughing  as they pass by, yet you go unseen.

This is what “Guy” an avid and long term angler felt on Wednesday after he fell into the ice while fishing off a dock in Wisconsin. “I was fishing for perch off the dock. When I stood up to switch rods, I must have lost my balance and fell in.” Explained Guy. “I went straight in, and the water pretty much sucked the air right out of my lungs. I was in the water about a half hour before you arrived.”

I know it’s taboo for writers to become characters in their own stories, and often times, this rule is justified; but when faced with the dangers of thin ice and the dilemma of witnessing someone in the water, one is allowed to break the rules.

I was heading to fish a local hot spot when I heard a feint and muffled yell. At first I thought it was workers in the machine shop up the road, but then after hearing it again, thought it was some sort of activity in the park across the river. It wasn’t until I got down to the docks that I saw an arm sticking out of the water grasping onto the dock next to me that I knew someone was in trouble. I needed to act quickly.

I approached the man (who later identified himself as “guy”) and tried to pull him out. After two attempts, I realized that he was just too heavy and quickly admitted defeat. I explained to Guy that I needed to leave and get help, and that I will be back in a bit; then ran up to the top of the hill, (the area for best cell reception) and called 911, explaining to them situation at hand.

After the call was made, I went back down to Guy to let him know help is on the way. I knew he was in bad shape because his breathing was getting more shallow and he was having a hard time keeping eye contact with me. I explained to him what was going on biologically, that his only goals were to keep breathing and focus on floating; and promised him if this situation was to go south, I was prepared to jump in  and help him stay afloat at any cost.

A few minutes later, I could hear the sirens and told Guy that help was on the way. I could tell he fed off my play by play reports as the EMS people got closer. Once they arrived, I again parted ways with Guy to wave down the workers. Given our location, I knew it was difficult for the EMS guys to find us.

It took 4 EMS workers to lift guy out of the water, as he was heavy from all his clothes and dead weight. The entire side of the dock sank under the strain of 6 adults. Being trained in situations like this, I knew to stay out of the EMS workers way and that they will get my information later on.

Today, I just got off the phone with Guy. He is grateful to be alive and takes ice safety to a whole new level. According to Guy, he was in the hospital for 3 hours, and had a core body temperature of 95*. Some would say I am a hero, Guy would agree.  Me, I feel like I just kept Guy company until help arrived.  Guy told me that he was “on the verge of giving up” and that he was “getting tired and knew his time was up.”

The only thing I want you to take away from this is ice safety!
1) ALWAYS let people know where you are going
2) don’t be afraid to talk about an exit strategy in case things go south
3) Try to keep your cell phone easily accessible and dry either by zip lock bag, or small tupperware container
4) If you fall though, hang in there and don’t panic. Let your body adjust to the cold before doing anything. Then just focus on floating and breathing.
5) If you walk into a situation like that. DON’T BE A HERO! Admit defeat quickly and call 911. Even when you get your person out of the water, they will need medical attention.
5) watch Nathan Krusko’s ice safety videos!!!!

Fishermen don’t like talking about ice safety because “that guy” always falls in. The more you talk about it in the open, the more prepared you are when the real thing happens. Even the most hardcore anglers make a mistake that’s potentially life changing.

First, I had to come up with a class system for the tip downs, given the fact that there are so many different kinds of tip downs. I came up with two: The kind that uses your existing rod, and the kind that comes with a rod built into it or with it.

Then I came up with a grading system A, B, C, D, and F; much like school, if a tip down passed or didn’t pass they will categorically land a letter that best represents their test. A being the best, and F being the worst.

The first class, the tip down that uses your existing rod has a complication all in it’s own: detaching the rod from the tip down after the bite. Often times, one only has one or two seconds to set the hook and reel when the fish bites. Messing with a sloppy detachment gets in the way; so one is left with a choice of hand over hand reeling, or picking the entire unit up to get a good hook set.

The second class, the tip down that comes with an existing rod built in or attached with is more of a traditional tip down going back to the dawn of tip down fishing.

To compare the two, is like comparing apples to hand grenades. Both have advantages and disadvantages over each other. Main points are cost, practically, simplicity, and portability.

In class 1, I reviewed the Sullivan Tip Down, first strike, Ifshpro Tip UP, Tight Line, and the Dangler systems.

Sullivan Tip Down: C. Built in the Eau Claire area by the founder James Sullivan and his family and comes in two models: the electric model, and the non electric. However, the issue comes into place when the bite occurs and difficulty it is to get the rod out of the holder in a timely manner. However, the unit both the electric and the non electric breaks down very easily for portability.

First Strike: A. The First Strike System is a neat little gadget that attaches to your rod. Line rests on a clip that deploys a strike indicator flag. The First Strike System company also has a stand that collapses easily, and a clip that attaches to the base of your rod so one can fish dead stick style with their bail open. Once the fish hit, the line pop outs of the clip and the fish can freely take the line. I like the First Strike System because it is simple, portable, but comes in 3 pieces: rod holder, flag, and clip- each sold separately; nice thing, each piece operates independent of each other.

IFishPro Tip UP: B. The IFishPro Tip UP system (IFP) is not necessarily a tip down per say, but a strike indicator system non the less. The IFP is a disk that sits over your ice hole, the user attaches a clip to the line and a clip that holds the flag down. When the fish hits, it pulls the clip away from the unit and the flag goes up. Simplicity, is a key component for the IFP and the user can leave their bail open. However, the issue comes into the portability factor as it is designed for 10 inch holes and has difficulty with fitting in buckets for transport.

Dangler: A. Granted the highest rank available, the Dangler system is one of two of the simplest tip downs that use your existing rod on the market. Simply put, the Dangler has a clip that attaches to your rod. The main unit is stand with a pivoting rod that flips up when the user goes to set the hook. When the fish bites, the rod tip drops; the user then grabs their rod and lift up to set the hook; simultaneously, the pivoting rod lifts up, freeing the fishing rod from the dangler unit. The Dangler collapses down and fits in the sled or bucket for easy storage.

Tightline Tip Down A. Again, granted the highest grade available, Tight Line Tipdown (TLT) is being celebrated for simplicity and portability. TLT is a modified 1X2 that has grooves that makes the unit fit on a bucket; the unit also has two attachments on the end that allows the fishing pole to be easily accessed and deployed when a fish bite occurs by attaching key rings to your rod and reel.

In contrast, class 2 has the rod built into or comes with the tip down. Again, this is a traditional set up, dating back to the dawn of time. I reviewed the Swish Down, the traditional tip down, and the Fish Away rod system.

Swish Down: A. Swish Rod, owned by Handishop Industries, a company that provides work for adults with disabilities, launched Swish Down this year. The Swish Down is a modified version of the Swish Rod, and has a built in stand that is fully adjustable and equipped with a flag. The only downside is the rod/reel is not detachable. However, they are working on a modification and will have that up as the year progresses.

Fish Away company. B. The Fish Away Rod system is a rod that is built into it’s stand. It is light weight and the rod is detachable for easy modification for species specific fishing. However, the Fishaway is bulky and difficult to transport in buckets or sled.

With so many tip ups and tip downs on the market today, it is overwhelming to find one that really is perfect. Like any other industry, your purchase is your choice, just make sure you are informed and comfortable with your purchase.

The organization will be going to the Wisconsin Ice Fishing Show this coming weekend.

To learn more about the Wisconsin Ice Fishing Show click HERE

Lake Onalaska is buttoned down with ice but it’s only 1.5-2 inches thick. with temperatures in the 40-50′s this week I’d suggest staying home and keeping dry.

While making my first ice report video, I had 7 cars drive by, and 4 people came out to check the ice, and two guys actually walked out to fish; so I know ice fever is setting in the Coulee Region.

Make sure you check out my first ice video and subscribe to my channel as I’ll be posting up to date reports and ice fishing tips throughout the season!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AI3amysWKFQ

“Mud it down”? I asked. “Yep.” Paul explains “Your clothes from the manufacturer have UV (ultra violet light) reflecting off them.  You might as well shoot flairs up and yell HERE I AM to the ducks, which have amazing eye sight and can see you form a long distance away.  The first thing I do, is I cover my material with mud. I let it dry and then I brush it off with a broom or scrub brush.  The mud covers and kills the UV reflecting. Mudding is the difference between getting (or seeing) one or two ducks, or having a bunch.”

“For my deer hunting clothes I leave them alone.  If they are too dark, I look like a giant black blob. Deer can make out patterns, so if you have a good spot and you’re looking like a dark blob, the deer will see your outline. For that purpose, I like brighter camo.”

I watched Paul put mud all over his new Frontier duck blind and returned the next day.  When I showed up, Paul started to brush off the mud.  I have to admit, I was surprised.  The bottom photo shows a spot that didn’t get mudded in comparison to a spot that got mudded. You can see the obvious difference.

Note: Paul Giese is La Crosse area native and is on Team NuCanoe, a group of NuCanoe owners and is on the ice fishing team “Stripes R Good”.

I like assignments like these because it gives me a chance to talk to the people I am taking pictures of and learn something from them, to hear their stories.

I try to take away something from these assignments, be it a new friend, or bump into an old one.  I often pick up outdoor tips and tricks, and if I am lucky a new spot or two.

Today, I met Jackie. She was registering a couple of deer she just shot, beaming ear to ear about how she outgunned her brother and dad.  She did have an interesting take on how her day went though. “I just shot my doe, and as she was running I was panning in on her looking for another shot, when I went outside the parameters of my treestand and fell.  Luckily, I had my harness on and it kept me from falling.  I dropped my gun during the fall and it landed in the brush below.  I got myself down, and picked my gun back up and got back to my stand. A few minutes later this buck came by at about 100 yards, I took the shot and scored.”

I found Jackie to be a resilient girl. “wait, you fell out of your tree” I asked. “Yep.” she replied, “it’s okay though I got a buck’.  She wanted me to remind people to wear harnesses when you are in tree stands. Her day could have gone a completely different way had she not.

I’ve seen a lot of studies that indicate slips and falls are the leading cause of injury in the outdoor kingdom, so be careful out there people.

“I am a hunter and always need to remind myself to lead by example when I’m in the woods,” Dr. Grube says.  “Hunting can be a fun sport for all to enjoy. But we need to make sure that fun isn’t spoiled by some unfortunate accident.”

Hunters should make sure they are properly educated about their surroundings. They also should be diligent with safety precautions, wear clothing suitable for hunting and for the weather, stay level headed, and always alert other hunters to their presence, he says.

Other tips from Dr. Grube:

Watch for heart attack warning signs. One study of middle-aged male deer hunters found that the activities inherent to hunting — walking over rough terrain, shooting an animal and dragging its carcass, for example — sent their heart rates up significantly. Although opinion varies, many doctors caution that exercising at more than 85 percent of a person’s maximum heart rate increases the risk of heart attack. Hunters unaccustomed to the strenuous hikes involved should take several breaks to rest, Dr. Grube says.

Falls tend to be the most common cause of injuries, and often happen when a hunter is up a tree and startled by animals there. Pay attention to your surroundings at all times.

Always check equipment and stands and use safety belts to prevent falls. Permanent tree stands are more likely to deteriorate and should be avoided. The average fall from a tree stand is about 15 feet. Injuries suffered from those heights can cause broken bones, paralysis, or even death.

Avoid alcohol. Hunters are more susceptible to injuries, including frostbite and hypothermia, if they’ve been drinking.

Let family members know where you’ll be hunting and take two-way radios or loud whistles along in case help is needed.  A surprisingly large number of hunting accidents occur between family members and friends who have gone out together, but do not remember or know where their party has gone, Dr. Grube says.

Learn some basic first aid before heading to the woods, including how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation or hands-only CPR, which consists of chest compressions, should a hunting partner have a heart attack.

Dr. Grube notes four basic rules of firearm safety from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources known as TAB-K: Treat every firearm as if it is loaded, always point the muzzle in a safe direction, be certain of your target and what’s beyond it, and keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

For example, if a hunter stumbles with a firearm in one hand and nothing in the other, whatever that person does with the free hand will automatically happen with the hand holding the gun, the agency notes. So if a finger is inside the trigger guard, that hand will likely close around the pistol grip of the gun and on the trigger causing an unwanted discharge.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/about and www.mayoclinic.org/news.

“The program for Reel Recovery is simple.” explains Robert Bernard, coordinator of the event. “We take men with cancer out fly fishing. They (the participants) get their hotel and meals paid for. We (the program) provide them with all the fishing gear necessary, some fly casting lessons, and a fishing buddy to help them along the way.”  The two and half day event consists of  work shops called courageous conversations, where the participants are encouraged to talk about their experiences with the disease; two ceremonies: opening and closing; fly casting lessons; and three fishing trips: two three  hour trips and one six hour trip, each time paired with a different fishing buddy.

The retreat started out with an introduction to the program with the staff, volunteers, and participants; then after dinner, the participants went to their private conference room for their first courageous conversation while the staff and volunteers held their meeting. “I want you to understand something.” Mike Fidler event facilitator explains “we are here for the men (participants) in that room over there. Our job is to make sure they are comfortable and having a good time. Fishing is 1/3 of the core of this retreat.  The largest portion is going to be camaraderie and fun.”

The next day, the retreat started off with the opening ceremony, where the men are assigned their fishing gear, sign the fishing vest they are about to wear; a tradition in Reel Recovery Fidler explains “Every man in every Reel Recovery Retreat signs the vest. Most of the participants are with us today, some are not. The ones that are not physically with us, are with us in spirit.” Then the participant got paired up with their first fishing buddy and headed over to Petibone park to meet with media, get some fly casting classes, and do some fishing.  The participants caught largemouth bass and bluegill.

After lunch, the group went on the second outing, a 6 hour outing. Due to the geographic area of the Onalaska location, the men went to different streams in the area. Many of the area streams are easily accessed from the road and provide a vantage point for people of many different abilities to fish. What I found interesting is how the men gathered at two different pools.”I love this area, it’s simply beautiful and peaceful, yet so close to town” said Ted Larrison, staff psychologist. “I stopped by one location, and guys weren’t even fishing. There were fly rods laying all over the place, and guys were sitting on the ground and rocks just chatting; taking it all in.  THIS is what the core of Reel Recovery is all about.”

The last day consisted of the last fishing trip and the closing ceremony where the participants form a circle and the volunteers and fishing buddies form an outer circle around the participants. The staff psychologist walks around the inside of the participant’s circle, places his hand on the chest of the participant and offers words of encouragement. At the end of the ceremony, the volunteers and fishing buddies give the participant a box of flies as a gift.

“There are many firsts at this retreat that made Onalaska unique” said  Fidler “in a normal retreat, we would have the lodging located right on the water so guys can come and go; and we would have the guys fishing close to each other on a river or a pond. Here (in Onalaska) the hotel is no where near the water, and we have guys scattered all over. We have guys fishing on the Mississippi River in NuCanoes, we have guys on three different trout streams, and we have guys in boats God knows where. And for the first time in Reel Recovery history, we have a participant giving a fishing buddy a casting lesson.  I love it!”

Reel Recovery is in the process of planning another retreat in Onlaska in 2013.  To learn more about Reel Recovery and their work to help men with cancer click here.